The present study sheds a new light on the protective role of OP-1 in regulating disc cell biology and provides some theoretical basis for the application of OP-1 in retarding/regenerating disc degeneration.
In vivo analysis in a rabbit model of disc degeneration showed that implantation of BMSCs over-expressing BMP7 promoted cell differentiation and proliferation in the NP, as well as their own survival, and these effects were mediated by the Smad pathway.